1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an electro-optic device formed of thin films, an electro-optic device substrate used for this electro-optic device, and a semiconductor device. In addition, the present invention relates to manufacturing methods thereof mentioned above and an electronic apparatus using the electro-optic device.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, in manufacturing processes of organic electroluminescent (hereinafter referred to as “EL”) elements, color filters, and the like, pattern-forming methods using an ink-jet process (a manufacturing method using a liquid-droplet discharge method) have drawn attention. For example, in an electro-optic device using organic EL thin films, by using this manufacturing method, a plurality of pixels is formed in predetermined regions on a display substrate to make a predetermined pattern, and display is then performed by controlling light emission in each pixel. Hereinafter, a method for forming a thin film using an ink-jet process will be described with reference to an example of an electro-optic device using organic EL thin films.
FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view of an important portion of a pixel of a conventional electro-optic device, and FIG. 29 is a schematic view showing a drying step in a process for forming thin films for a conventional electro-optic device. As described above, the organic EL thin films are formed in predetermined regions with a predetermined pattern. On a substrate, parting members (hereinafter referred to as “partitions”) 242 having a convex cross-sectional shape are disposed between adjacent pixels so that a liquid material (thin film-forming liquid material) for organic EL films discharged by an ink-jet process is not allowed to flow into adjacent pixels. This partition is provided on a pixel electrode (not shown) formed on a substrate 260 and is composed of a first partition 243 and a second partition 244 formed thereon so as to surround a liquid-droplet filling region Rs. In this structure, an opening at a lower side of the second partition 244 is formed larger than an opening at an upper side of the first partition 243, so that the cross-section of the partition 242 has a step structure. In addition, the first partition 243 and the pixel electrode are formed of an inorganic material lyophilic to the thin film-forming liquid material, and the second partition 244 is formed of an organic material lyophobic to the thin film-forming liquid material.
In individual light-emission regions surrounded by the partitions, the thin film-forming liquid material is filled using an ink-jet process. At an initial stage, the surface of a liquid droplet has a convex shape protruding from the upper surface of the partition 244 as shown by a line segment L1 in FIG. 29. However, while this thin film-forming liquid material is dried, the surface of the liquid droplet is gradually descending as shown by line segments L1 to L4, and as a result, a thin film 245 having the surface as shown by the line segment L4 is formed. In this drying step, the liquid droplet is repelled by the surface of the partition 244 and tends to have an affinity for the surface of the first partition 243 and the surface of the pixel electrode, thereby forming an approximately flat organic EL thin film in the liquid-droplet filling region Rs on the pixel electrode (see Patent Document 1). [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 3328297.